Leo stared intensely at the woman sitting in front of him, her head bowed, unwilling to lift it as if the man before her might pounce the moment their eyes met. More than ten minutes of silence hung between them, and neither wanted to utter a single word. The woman nervously squeezed her fingers on her lap, which grew increasingly sweaty.
"Different," Leo spoke, causing the woman to finally raise her head and meet the piercing gaze. However, just a few seconds later, she lowered it again, pondering the words the man had spoken.
Different? What's different? the woman wondered.
"It seems the sorceress is getting smarter," Leo said, then smirked. "Turns out she changed her tactics after her plan failed by throwing a cunning wench at me. This time, it's a housebound wench she's thrown at me. Clever."
Leo continued, making the woman in front of him grip her fingers tightly, her body trembling, and her eyes welling up. Her heart raced painfully. For the first time, someone called her that, and worse, it was her own prospective husband calling her a wench.
"Lift your head!" Leo said in his flat and cold tone, making the woman struggle to swallow her own saliva and slowly raise her head.
"What's your name?" he asked.
"Alana," she answered softly as if whispering.
"So, what mission did she give you?" Leo inquired.
Mission? Alana furrowed her brow, not understanding.
"Is your mission to kill me?" Leo guessed, causing the furrow on Alana's forehead to disappear, replaced by widened eyes and a vigorous shake of her head.
"I didn't..." Alana was cut off.
"Then, what task did she assign you?" Leo interrupted.
"Aunt Rose just said she would arrange a marriage with her son," Alana explained, still speaking as quietly as possible.
"Who did she say her son is?" Leo asked.
Alana bit her lower lip before responding to Leo's question.
"Someone named Leo Smith," Alana answered, prompting a cynical laugh from Leo.
"I," Leo said, pointing to himself. "She’s not my mother, just so you know," Leo continued, his cold expression returning.
"Yes, I know deep down, Alana. 'So, you better ask that woman again who the son she meant is,'" Leo said.
"I know you're not Aunt Rose's biological son, but she clearly mentioned your name," Alana replied, gathering courage despite her rapidly beating heart.
"So, do I have to accept you as my wife?" Leo asked, staring intently at Alana, making her more fearful and nervously nod her head.
"Stand up," Leo commanded, and Alana immediately straightened her posture, standing upright in front of Leo.
Leo scrutinized Alana from head to toe. Leo knew that Alana's appearance was different from the previous women Rose sent as potential wives. Most of them were beautiful and voluptuous, adorned with all the luxuries attached to them. Whereas Alana, she had an innocent face with simple and unassuming clothing. Leo admitted, Alana was somewhat charming.
"Why should I accept you? What advantages do you have?" Leo asked, making Alana furrow her brow again.
It's like I'm applying for a job, Alana thought. "I will take care of you well."
"In that case, just be my maid," Leo quickly replied, making Alana widen her eyes, but only for a moment.
"M-maid?" stammered Alana.
"Yes, isn't the one you mentioned earlier capable of being a maid?" Leo replied, causing Alana to grip the sides of her simple white dress.
Silence lingered for a moment, and Leo could see the fear and increasing confusion on Alana's face. However, Leo's next words furrowed her brow even more.
"Never mind, just tell the sorceress to set the wedding date," Leo said, immediately getting protests from his secretary and friend Pedro.
"But sir,"
"Just take me back to my office, Pedro," Leo cut him off, making Pedro grumble and reluctantly comply with his boss's wishes. Annoyed, Pedro pushed Leo's wheelchair back to his workspace.
oOo"How was your meeting? Enjoyable?" Rose asked as Alana dropped her body onto the sofa and immediately massaged the bridge of her nose. Rose sat beside Alana, waiting for her niece's answer."Hey, answer, Aunt is waiting," Rose said, shaking Alana's shoulder. Alana instantly turned her head towards Rose with a disheveled expression.
"Don't you see my disheveled face?"
"No."
"Oh, come on, Aunt just threw me into the lion's den. I almost died standing there just from his gaze," Alana complained because that was exactly how she felt. "And you know, my fear increased when he agreed to this arranged marriage," Alana continued, massaging the bridge of her nose again, but unlike Rose, she didn't wear a happy expression.
"Really? Are you teasing me, dear? Come on, Alana, it's not April Fools."
"Do you think I'm in the mood for jokes right now?" After Alana finished her sentence, Rose suddenly screamed right next to Alana's ear while hugging her.
"Kyaaaa, finally, he's willing to get married," Rose shouted joyfully while shaking Alana's petite body.
"Aunt, stop shaking me," Alana grumbled while trying to release herself from her aunt's hug.
"So, when are you two getting married?" Rose asked.
"He leaves it to you!" Alana lazily replied.
"Is that so? Then, you'll get married next week."
"What?!" Alana shouted in disbelief.
"Why?"
"Is Aunt joking?"
"Do you think Aunt is in the mood for jokes right now?" Rose replied, turning Alana's previous words around, causing Alana to squint her eyes at Rose.
"What is Aunt planning, actually?" Alana asked, now with a serious tone.
"What is it? Aunt just wants you to be his wife."
"Come on, Aunt, don't pretend in front of me. Even he accused me of having a mission to kill him. How bad is your relationship?"
Of course, because two weeks ago, Rose suddenly visited her family, which hadn't met for more than ten years. Suddenly, Rose asked permission from Alana's father, who is also Rose's cousin, to marry Alana to her stepson. That's the only story Alana knew from her father. Somehow, her father agreed immediately and let Rose take her away. Ah, did she burden her father and brother's lives so much that they easily sent her to Rose?
"There's no mission at all. You just need to be a good wife to him and serve him wholeheartedly," Rose answered, dispelling Alana's momentary reverie.
"But he..."
"He's flawed," Rose interrupted.
Yes.
"No, he sees me like prey ready to be pounced on anytime."
"That's because you appear weak in front of him. Be yourself and conquer his heart," Rose said.
Occasionally, Alana massaged her very sore calves. The guests seemed unending since two hours ago. "Who exactly did the sorceress invite?" grumbled Leo, causing Alana to turn and narrow her eyes.Sitting, Leo felt irritated, especially since he had been standing with his wide smile for the guests. Alana even felt like her feet couldn't touch the ground anymore."Pedro, take me to the room," said Leo, making Alana turn quickly."Where to?" asked Alana, causing Pedro's movement to stop as he was about to spin Leo's wheelchair."I'll escort the master to the room," Pedro replied with a thin smile.Matching superiors and secretaries, thought Alana, both equally expressionless. "What about me?" asked Alana, finally making Leo look in her direction. "Your first task is to welcome the guests. After all, I don't know them; only 1% of all the guests I know. The rest are that sorceress's gang, so you have to take responsibility," Leo's answer made Alana widen her eyes."Me, how can I? Especiall
"Hey, wake up, Sleeping Beauty." Alana could hear someone trying to wake her up, but the drowsiness urged her to keep her eyes closed, ignoring the sounds she heard."In the count of three, if you don't wake up, I'll splash you until you're soaking wet." Again, Alana ignored the voice. And in a few seconds..."Aaaaaa...!!!" Alana's scream echoed throughout the room. Alana quickly sat up and wiped her face, which was now completely wet."What are you doing?""Waking you up, what else," Leo casually answered, making Alana shift her gaze to the clock on the nightstand, then back at Leo."You poured water on me and woke me up in the middle of the night?""So, what if I did?""If you need something, at least wake me up gently, like giving a kiss on my forehead or stroking my hair.""Are you still dreaming? Your talk is nonsense. Quickly get up and get out of my bed," Leo said, making Alana look at him with a question mark."Why? What's wrong?""I've been tortured enough sleeping in the sam
Alana continued stirring the food in front of her while occasionally turning her head. She had been waiting for Leo for more than ten minutes, but her husband seemed to linger in his office, of course, with his faithful servant, Pedro. "Ugh, my stomach won't stop growling," Alana grumbled. However, afterward, Alana saw Leo coming out with Pedro, who was pushing his wheelchair towards the dining table where Alana was. Pedro placed Leo right next to Alana, making Leo look at Pedro with irritation. Pedro, realizing his mistake, was about to pull Leo's wheelchair back, but Alana stopped him first. "It's better if you stay here so I can serve you more easily," Alana said, holding the side of Leo's wheelchair. "I don't need your help. Pedro will___" "Mr. Pedro, I'm sure you haven't had lunch either, right? Sit with us," Alana said with a threatening look in her eyes, and Pedro understood what it meant. It was Alana's way of politely asking him to leave. "Oh, no, thank you, ma'am. I'm m
Leo felt the fear slowly infiltrating his heart. That was the fitting expression crossing Leo's mind right now. Surprisingly, Alana could evoke a much greater fear, something Leo never expected.Leo gazed at Alana's sleeping figure beside him. Leo wasn't sure what he felt towards Alana. Leo knew that since Alana first appeared in his life, he perceived her as a threat. However, inexplicably, over time, that sense of threat eroded, and Leo began to worry that Alana might truly invade his heart.As in the park some time ago, Leo felt confused about his feelings. For a moment, he experienced a carefree life as he looked at Alana's peacefully sleeping face and gently touched her cheek. That simple event allowed Leo to momentarily forget the anger and pain in his heart.Leo's reverie was interrupted when Alana changed her sleeping position to face Leo. Like in the park, Alana slept with a serene expression. Leo felt the urge to stroke Alana's cheek again but stopped when his gaze fell down
Occasionally, Leo gazes at Alana, who is engrossed in reading a magazine in her hands. Leo senses that Alana isn't just reading, but rather observing him or perhaps lost in thought. Squinting his eyes, Leo attentively observes his wife not far in front of him.What's going on with her? It's rare for Alana not to disturb him when they're alone in a room. At least this time, Alana isn't incessantly talking about unclear things. Maybe since she returned late this afternoon, Leo doesn't know where Alana spent the whole day, coming back with a disheveled face, and Leo doesn't care. However, her contemplative mood this time is a bit unsettling, making Leo worry that the neighbor's chicken might suddenly drop dead because Alana is lost in thought."Did she eat something wrong?" mumbles Leo softly, continuing to watch Alana. "Please fetch the book from the shelf over there," Leo says, returning his attention to the book in his hands. Alana looks over with a blossoming smile but doesn't get up
"Morning!!!" A greeting in the morning makes Leo immediately blink his eyes and turn to look at his side. Even though it's been over a week, Alana's presence next to him when he first opens his eyes still feels unfamiliar to Leo.Now, with Alana sleeping on Leo's arm and holding him tightly, Leo doesn't know when their positions got this close. Before going to sleep, Leo usually limits the distance between them with a bolster and some pillows so that Alana doesn't get too close, although Leo is not sure if that method would work.Leo's reverie is interrupted when Alana rises from her sleep and puts on her bathrobe. Leo remains silent, continuing to observe Alana who is tying her hair. Unconsciously, his eyes scan Alana from top to bottom. Leo misjudged Alana when he first saw her; Alana is not cute, but she's attractive. That's what crosses Leo's mind now."Do you want to take a shower now? I'll prepare the warm water," Alana says, making Leo quickly avert his gaze and awkwardly clear
Slowly, Alana exits the car and stands in front of a not-too-large cake shop. The shop seems devoid of customers. Alana contemplates, perhaps it's too early, or maybe it's already noon, while the cake shop is usually bustling. Is this what Pedro meant by saying the shop is almost bankrupt?"Huff," Alana exhales a long breath. Why did she agree to manage this shop? She herself doesn't know much about the cake business."Alright, Alana, it's already done. You can handle it," she says to herself while patting her arms. Alana steps towards the shop, slowing down as she stands in front of the glass door with a sign that says "open."Before opening the door, Alana takes a breath and opens it carefully. "Good afternoon, can we help you?" greets a waitress after Alana enters.Alana observes the not-so-spacious room. "Oh, I'm Alana, the wife—""Are you Mr. Leo's wife?" the waitress interrupts, making Alana nod, and the waitress stumbles."Sorry, ma'am, I didn't recognize you," she apologizes.
"Pedro, is it true what I heard?" Leo asks to confirm. After Alana complained about the condition of the main cake shop owned by his late mother, Leo immediately sought confirmation from Pedro."Yes, that's true," Pedro replies."Why didn't you tell me?""I reported it to you, and you approved it.""When?" Leo asks with a slightly raised tone because he doesn't remember Pedro reporting about the chef's duties."I already mentioned that the chef who manages the shop is the old reliable person. Didn't you disagree with handing it over entirely to someone to manage the shop? You said you didn't trust it.""But you-""And you said it's better to trust that old person. Therefore, I entrusted everything to that one chef because he's the only old person we can really trust. Besides, his ability is quite good," Pedro interrupts Leo when he tries to interrupt the explanation."So, should we provide a fair salary for him?" Leo asks."Of course, we pay him higher than the average chef. Initially